Remnants of a Heart
by joyrid3
Summary: Even when a pure light shines in the darkness, fate remains stubborn for those who are damned. UlquiHime


**N/A: **This is just a short ramble I had to get out of my system.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach or Ulquiorra…or any other hot Arrancar. They are (sadly) property of Tite Kubo.

**Remnants of a heart  
**

I don't know how this happened…I think about it often as I play with strands of her auburn hair.

How often did captors fall in love with their prisoner? Love…such a strange word for an Arrancar.

She stares at me with big, innocent…human eyes, wondering what I'm thinking about.

"You wouldn't understand." I answer her unspoken question. "You're human."

"You were once human too." She replies stubbornly.

She's right, although…I don't remember it. I don't remember anything before becoming a Vasto Lorde. I know I had once been human…I had died and become a hollow. Those worthless Shinigami didn't "save" my soul so I ended up in Hueco Mundo. I devoured those weaker than me, though I don't remember it…that's the only way to become a Vasto Lorde.

Then I had a spark of consciousness. But I was still a beast before Aizen-sama found me. I couldn't picture ever being human.

She presses her skin against mine and I wrap my arms around her protectively. She's so frail and delicate…her existence can be so easily shattered. I fear for her when I'm away. Despite Aizen-sama's orders, many Arrancar wanted to hurt her.

She couldn't defend herself…she had no Cero to unleash upon her enemies, no inhuman strength to shatter their bones. All she had standing between her and her dangerous foes was…me.

I often wondered why she cared about me…She was warm, loving and kind…everything I was not. Maybe it was the fact that she desperately needed to cling to someone to relieve the pain of her seclusion in Las Noches. I was sure that's what it was. How could she ever really love me? How could anyone…?  
"I hate this place." She tells me, her voice a low whisper.

I brought her here…on some level she probably hates me too.

"But…if I hadn't come here I wouldn't have met you." she blushes slightly.

I stay silent and look away. There will be a time when the pain of her captivity will be too much to bare and then she will truly realize she hates me. I didn't want that time to come, but I knew it was inevitable.

"Can't we leave this place?" she was almost begging. "You're strong enough to get us out of here…"

My hand cups her chin and I make her look at me.

"And go where?"

The tears threatened to flow from her eyes. I knew she wanted to say "home"…but she didn't want to speak that word.  
I didn't have a home.

"I'm not human, Orihime. Don't forget that."

Her fingers reached for the hole just below my neck. She retracted her hand quickly, before even touching it.

I make you sick, don't I? It's only natural.

"You're not like them." She whispers.

"I'm worse than most of them." I shatter her illusion mercilessly. She has to see the _real_ me, even if she were to run away from the sight.

"I've killed humans and Hollow alike. And I don't regret it."

_I can't regret it…_

Her body becomes rigid against mine.

"I will kill Kurosaki Ichigo if he crosses my path."

Not only because he was a worthy enemy, but because she still…

Her eyes pierce into mine, burning with anger. She struggles in my grasp and I let her go. Silly woman, she did nothing more but hurt herself.

"You won't touch Kurosaki-kun!" she cried.

In a split second my hands pinned her against the wall. My Hollow instincts were raging with a feeling I couldn't quite catalogue. Envy perhaps? I was envious of that petty human?

"Why?" I manage to calm my tone.

"He's my…friend." Tears were flowing from her eyes. I didn't get it. Did I scare her? Why was she crying? Was she crying at the thought of me hurting him?  
She cared deeply for that human. In a way she could never care for me.

In a way I could never care for her.

"Ulquiorra…it's not that I still…I care about you!" she says, staring into my eyes.

I remain silent. The realisation of how impossible this was hit me like a Cero straight between the eyes.

"Your eyes are cold now. Why? Why do you turn cold?" she cries.

And I close my eyes and wish that I was still human, somewhere on Earth and I could be all she wanted me to.

But I had no heart. My soul was corrupted with hatred and grief, turned into a Hollow. Even now, with this body resembling a human's…I cannot understand them.

I was an entirely different species.

But I would not let her get hurt. That at least…I could do.

I push her hand away.

"Don't touch me again."

As I turn my back on her and leave I can hear her sobs…resonating with something deep inside me.

Remnants of a heart…?

**A/N:** As much as I am a Ulquihime shipper…this pairing wouldn't really stand a chance…I tried to portray how good it might've been and still end it the way it should end…I guess. Feedback is most welcome.


End file.
